


For Names’ Sakes

by Caelum_Blue



Series: Azula Week 2020 [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Babies, Baby Names, Family, Gen, Humor, Trollzula
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:00:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25126636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caelum_Blue/pseuds/Caelum_Blue
Summary: Written for Azula Week 2020. Prompt - Baby.Azula takes issue with her niece’s choice of name for the Fire Nation’s newest prince.
Relationships: Azula & Iroh II (Avatar), Azula & Izumi (Avatar)
Series: Azula Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818433
Comments: 30
Kudos: 235





	For Names’ Sakes

**Author's Note:**

> Okay yeah I think I'm gonna try to get these posted in the mornings. I have more active brain cells before I switch over to my work computer, lol.
> 
> Fun fact! A Chinese friend once told me that it's taboo in Chinese name culture to name your child after someone and that it's considered disrespectful. Ergo, she explained, Ozai naming Azula after his father could actually be taken as an insult towards Azulon! I thought that could be a really fascinating concept, however with the introduction of Iroh II in TLoK, I think this taboo must not be the case in the Fire Nation. *shrugs*
> 
> Enjoy!

“This is a travesty. You are doomed, child, do you understand that? I would apologize, but this is not my fault so I see no reason to. This is  _ entirely _ your mother’s doing. And perhaps your grandfather’s. I would say I can’t believe this, except I can  _ definitely _ believe this, and yet I am  _ still _ disappointed.”

“Aunt Azula,” Izumi said tiredly, “could you  _ not?” _

“I am not talking to you right now, Niece,” Azula said stoically, eyes fixed on the baby boy in her arms. It might have been thought that Azula would not be someone you could hand a baby to, but Izumi had had no qualms with handing over her newborn son. Her aunt, after all, had had plenty of practice holding  _ her, _ and since Izumi had never been dropped on her head as a child, she’d thought she could trust her aunt.

She was beginning to rethink that assessment.

“We should disown her,” Azula was musing to the baby. “After the destiny she’s saddled you with, she definitely deserves it.”

“I haven’t saddled him with anything!” Izumi protested. It was...maybe not entirely true. The boy was a prince. He was bound to be saddled with  _ something. _

“You’ve doomed him to a life of tea and proverbs,” Azula answered flatly. She held the baby up. “How do you feel about that, Your Royal Tea-Loving Kookiness the Second?”

Baby Iroh blinked down at Azula for a moment before his mouth opened in a wide, toothless grin.

Azula sighed. “You are too cute for this fate,” she said, pulling him close to her chest. “Of course, you’re a baby, so you are weak, and helpless, and can neither fight back nor even comprehend the indignity that’s been forced upon you. It’s alright,” she added, whispering conspiratorily. “I’ll fight for you.” Back to normal volume, she said, “I can’t believe you would  _ do _ this, Izumi.”

“I named him after a beloved and much-missed family member,” Izumi ground out.

“Out of all the esteemed family members you  _ could _ have named him after,” Azula shook her head. “It had to be  _ Uncle?” _

“All our other family members are war criminals!”

“Ha!” said Azula. “Uncle was  _ also _ a war criminal! You should have named him after me.”

“Aunt Azula,  _ you - ” _

“Never attacked civilians, overthrew the Earth Kingdom government with a bloodless coup, and took Ba Sing Se with a single shot that only killed an acceptable military target?”

Izumi glared at her aunt.

“Yes,” Azula mused, looking back down at her new great-nephew, “she should have named you after  _ me.” _

“Aunt Azula - ”

“But of course Azula wouldn’t work so well for a boy’s name,” Azula allowed. “Fortunately, it does have a male form.”

_ “Azula - ” _

“She should have named you Azulon.”

Izumi spat fire.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Any kudos or comments left on this fic will be sorely appreciated as I drag myself through my work day.
> 
> Isn't it interesting how, despite being the most manipulative and effective villain ATLA had to offer, Azula wasn't ever brutal? Cruel, sure, but like...she wasn't into wanton destruction like Zhao. Quite his opposite, in fact.
> 
> And if anyone is interested in my occasional ramblings or reblogs you can find me at [caelum-in-the-avatarverse](https://caelum-in-the-avatarverse.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.


End file.
